


Second Seal

by Warpony



Series: Feral Echoes [19]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Collars, Gen, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slightest Hint of Shadowgast, Timeline What Timeline, Xhorhouse (Critical Role), past enslavement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24663406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warpony/pseuds/Warpony
Summary: "Halfway." Caleb rasped, putting out his cantrip and the blue returning to his eyes. "Two of four. It's halfway done."
Relationships: Verin Thelyss/Original Character(s)
Series: Feral Echoes [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711534
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Second Seal

Once the door of the Xhorhaus was closed behind them Brunnera struggled a little to try and get the purple ribbon and platinum medal up over his head, bumping his hand against his scarred eye and flinched a little as the shock of pain it sent through him, “Fuckin’…. fucking thing…”

“Here, let me.” Caduceus gently brushed the bay roan firbolg’s hands away and carefully lifted the medal up over his head then gently tapped his forehead. A faint brush of the Wildmother’s magic, earthy and faintly scented with flowers soothed away the low simmering burn of the scar and his eye.

“Thanks, Cad…” The fighter mumbled, taking the medal back and crouching down to the ground, setting his bag of holding on the earth and tucking the medal away and pulling out Beau’s blue sash. The bay firbolg let out a more relaxed breath as he looped the sash around his neck, tucking it in until the Demarcate collar was hidden again.

“Everyone was really staring at you in the palace, Brunnera.” Yasha hummed thoughtfully.

The fighter chuffed though his ears swayed back a bit, not looking particularly happy about the observation and he shifted his weight back and forth uncomfortably before starting his way up the stairs towards his room. Yasha and Caduceus trailed close behind.

“He saved the Queen’s life a week or so ago.” Caduceus rumbled, easily. His ears swishing a bit in thought. Brunnera made another mumbled unhappy sound.

“Oh.” Yasha said quietly, cocking her head a bit. “They seem very grateful. That’s a good thing, I suppose. Is that how you got the… you know… the eye… thing?”

Brunnera nodded, ears drooping a bit.

“It’s much better, really.” The grave cleric hummed softly, “Caleb, Jester and I have been working on it bit by bit.”

“Can see more now…” Brunnera agreed pausing a moment, he hadn’t been back to his room yet. Not since pledging himself to the Aurora Watch. They’d left so quickly for the Empire after Verin had dropped him off. He’d only had time enough to take a short rest on the floor of the den and take back his bag of holding with his clothes and weapons from Beau before they’d made the jump to Zadash.

It could wait a moment longer and he turned to walk with Yasha to her own room. Caduceus followed along. The two firbolgs didn’t crowd into the room, staying in the doorway and leaning in a bit as Yasha stood in front of her mural. She let out a long, deep sigh.

“I feel much better now…” She said softly.

“Glad you’re home…” Brunnera rumbled, his eyes scanning the mural of flowers with curious eyes. He couldn’t find the dick in the painting either. “Do you want… to be alone?”

“Actually I think… I think I want to practice my harp… if you want to join me, Caduceus?” Yasha asked quietly.

“That’d be nice.” Caduceus’ ears swished happily, he was already pulling out the bone flute. A look of mischief and excitement on his face as Brunnera stepped back to let him duck into Yasha’s room.

The bay furred fighter chuffed with a smile and pulled the door so it was only a bit ajar and headed down the hall towards his own room, wincing a little as the bone flute and harp started up. He balked when a door slammed open behind him with Jester bursting out of the room she shared with Beau with a string of excited noises that might have been words as she dashed into Yasha’s room. The music stopped for a moment then started up again, this time joined by a high pitched plinking that sounded a bit like a toy piano.

Brunnera shook his head and padded down to the room that the Nein had chosen for him all those months ago. He’d been wise enough to at least commission a bed that was large enough for him to actually sleep in. He was likely overdue for some time alone. The military didn't afford private time much... though honestly as his bond with Verin Thelyss had grown and deeped he hadn't wanted time alone as much as he'd wanted time alone together. It'd be good to get a full night's sleep at home. Take the time to sort through his thoughts and things. He certainly needed to take a moment and configure a more permanent solution to keeping his _Skiltgravr_ runes on his person than on a slapped together bracelet. 

And honestly he probably needed to go through his bag of holding thoroughly. There was no telling what the Nein had stashed in the bag in the last few months. He desperately hoped they had heeded his warning and hadn't stored any monster organs or offal or rotting hides or food in it. He didn't think bags of holding got permanently stinky but he didn't want to find out. Despite the enchantments Brunnera didn’t like the idea of the bag being cluttered. And he had plenty of bare shelves in his room he could fill up with trinkets and trophies if he chose.

The fighter set his bag of holding down on the firbolg sized bed before scanning the room and freezing, eyes going a bit wide as he took in the sight in front of him.

The whole of one wall had been painted, a mural like Yasha’s. He had no question in his mind that it was Jester’s doing but it wasn’t a field of flowers. Instead Brunnera stared at the image of the secret valley he’d told Jester about. The white trees striped in black and made of all golden leaves and the grove and thicket bedded in curling, flaxen ferns. Snowcapped mountains peeked between the trunks of the trees. When he looked hard enough the firbolg saw the ghostly shadows of the giant white beasts and the gossamer wings of the butterfly shaped spirits he remembered. 

"Jes..." He rasped softly, throat trying to strangle his voice away from him. Brunnera shook his head and took a steady breath. "...Jess... Jester! JESTER!"

The music down the hall stopped suddenly. The rush of foot falls was far more than just the tiefling as the whole of the Nein rushed into his room with a chorus of worried questions that fell to silence after a moment. 

"Awe noooo, Brunny. I wanted to be there when we you saw it." Jester drooped a little. "Do you like it?"

Brunnera took a careful step towards her then wrapped up her small frame in his arms. He hugged her tightly, careful not to squeeze her to hard. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head. He heaved a breath that stuttered a little half choked sniff. After a moment drawing back, sinking to kneel on the floor. "I love it, little sister..." 

Jester smiled brilliantly as Brunnera scrubbed a wrist across his eyes. 

"What a neat place." Caduceus rumbled, ears flicking gently as he looked over the mural. 

"What place is it Jester?" Caleb asked quietly. "Is it from your imagination?"

"Brunny told me about it. He said its somewhere up in the mountains where his family is from." The tiefling shrugged. 

"Golden Shrine..." Brunnera rumbled, eyes turned back to look over the mural. "I think... not sure..."

"Thats a really cool name." Jester grinned. "Brunny said we can go there sometime. If he, yanno, remembers how to get there."

"I wouldn't mind going to see it." Yasha said softly. A murmur of assent went around the Nein. Brunnera smiled slightly, looking around at them before his eyes fell to Caleb. 

The fighter's ears flicked a bit, "Caleb?"

" _Ja_?"

"Do another lock... please?" The bay furred firbolg asked, reaching up to unwind Beau's sash from his neck. "...I think I can... can do another one... now..."

The Nein fidgeted a bit around the room. Caleb turned to face Brunnera. "If you're sure."

The fighter eased to sit on the floor, crossing his legs and setting hands into his lap. Instantly Yasha stepped up to stand next to him, a hand on his shoulder. 

"Yes... I'm sure... please..." He smiled a bit awkwardly. "... before I chicken out."

"I don't think you're capable of that, Brunny." Fjord said kindly. Next to him Caduceus and Jester readied healing spells, warming in their palms. 

The fighter flicked his ears. "You d... don't have to... to stay..."

"Of course we're staying. Shut up, furball." Beau grumbled as he plopped herself on the floor right next to Brunnera. He swayed back his ears with a fond rumble. His tail curved around to settled across the monk's lap. 

"Are you ready?" Caleb asked, looking a bit worried. 

The fighter settled in his space, breathing steady and slow. He shut his eyes and lifted his chin to better offer the collar to the fire mage. "Ready..."

Caleb's flame cantrip flickered to life on his fingers and palms. The mage's blue eyes slowly flooded molten gold and red with arcane energy. Caleb stepped up to Brunnera and drew the sigils for _Dispel Magic_ against the slick, black metal of the collar. 

Within the Demarcate collar the casting rooted and started the work of undoing the second lock. Caleb kept his fire lit hands in place as the metal turned cold then bitterly frigid to unbearably glacial. The wizard was determined to feel the lock come undone and that Brunnera didn't suffer through it alone. 

The firbolg fighter shivered and trembled violently as he felt the burn of his muscles and blood trying to freeze solid in his veins. His teeth chattered and he curled in on himself, arms wrapping tight around his chest as the lingering damage from the Volstrucker's acid lanced with the fresh, freezing agony. 

He choked and gasped, heaving up a mouthful of blood, sluggish with ice crystals. His vision started to wink out and a strangled series of agonized sounds made way up through his throat. 

Yasha's hand tightened on his shoulder, a small crackle of electricity licking across his arm and collarbone, jolting the fighter a bit and making him shake his head hard to try and keep his awareness. Slowly, so terribly slowly, the cold and pain started to creep back. Fading at the edges, beaten back faster where Yasha’s sparks were making his muscles twitch and where the flicker of Caleb's cantrip tried to thaw out the Demarcate faster. 

Brunnera's chest heaved but he stayed awake, stayed up, breath heaving and trembling violently. 

Yasha and Caleb’s hands were replaced by curative warmth. The earthy and floral scent mixed with the surgary, vanilla flavor and warmed him from his core outwards to his extremities. 

"Brunny? You back with us?" Beau’s voice broke through the fog of his pounding head and thundering pulse. 

His hands shook to hard to sign and his throat clicked uselessly. He nodded jerkily. 

"Halfway." Caleb rasped, putting out his cantrip and the blue returning to his eyes. "Two of four. It's halfway done."

The fighter shakily held a hand blindly in his direction. Brunnera felt Caleb’s hand grip his own, it trembled a bit. The bay and blue furred firbolg squeezed it once in thanks, soaking in a bit of the lingering warmth from Caleb’s cantrip into his frozen fingers. He felt the human's much smaller hand squeeze back. 

"Are you all alright? Is this a bad time?"

Except for Caduceus and his absurd perception, the Nein jumped as one at the familiar but unexpected voice. They looked up to where Essek stood in the doorway of Brunnera's room, holding a bottle of wine. 

"There was no answer at the door, I was..." The Shadowhand ducked his head just slightly, flushing a little, "I was worried." 

"That's very kind of you to come check on us." Caduceus rumbled reassuringly, ears swishing. "To what do we owe the pleasure, Mr. Essek?"

"I just, ah, if you would have a guest for dinner, perhaps? I thought about it. I hadn't really, you know, done something like this in a while and perhaps it is... something I should do." Essek seemed to lift his chin, as if challenging them with his decision.

The Nein all smile brightly, even Brunnera send him a lopsided pull of his lips through his panting to catch his breath. 

"We absolutely would love to have you, Essek." Caleb smiled. The drow smiled a little towards the human mage in return, that reddish plum color of a blush creeping slightly on his cheeks.

"If I'm not... interrupting-?" Essek's eyes cast towards the bit of blood spattered on the floor then back to the shivering Brunnera. An eyebrow going up when a puff of vapor escaped the fighter's chest, clouding as if it was in winter from the internal cold.

There was a moment of hesitation, Caleb looked down towards the fighter. A question of permission in his eyes. Brunnera managed a chuff and a nod. Caleb nodded in return.

"We've just finished, actually. _Bitte_. Stay. And we'll explain. Over dinner." The fire mage promised.

Essek nodded a bit. "Yes. Thank you."

"That's wonderful. Why don't Jester and I stay with Brunnera just a bit longer. Everyone else can take Mr.Essek downstairs. We'll be down in no time I'm sure." Caduceus hummed, smiling as Nott, Beau and Caleb followed the suggestion quickly.

Fjord and Yasha both paused, each of them brushing a bit of their own healing magic into Brunnera. Yasha's _Healing Hands_ staticy and warm like when Brunnera brushed against the _Thutvli_ rune. Fjord’s _Lay on Hands_ scented like the spiced ocean air from Nicodranas. They smiled at him and moved to follow the others. 

Brunnera's chilled core warmed thankfully for them. For all of the Nein. 

His eyes turned to the Shadowhand. His teeth chattered a little as he croaked out a few words before they managed to sweep the drow away. "E-e-essek?... Verin?"

The Shadowhand hand cocked his head a bit, "Ah. Yes... last I heard my... brother was at the front line in Ashguard."

"Not Rex... Rexxentrum?" Brunnera asked worriedly. 

"Not that I had heard, no." Essek confirmed. "I... will send word you are well to him." 

Brunnera dipped his head in thanks, when he looked back up Essek and most of the Nein were on their way down towards the den to kick off a much awaited evening together.

**Author's Note:**

> Demarcate Collar: _Dispel Magic Second Lock: 6D12 Cold Damage and make a Constitution Saving Throw..._
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed reading!


End file.
